By Troy Krause, Redwood Falls, Minn. Gazette
Keeping the public safe is the major duty of a police department. Teaching them how to be safe is one way it accomplishes that.
So is enforcing the laws. This past Tuesday, the Redwood Falls Police Department was recognized for its efforts in doing both as part of the Safe and Sober Campaign, which is an aspect of the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety.
Jean Ryan and Brad Kollmann of the Safe and Sober campaign, presented the police department with a $3,000 award for its efforts in education and enforcement.
According to Redwood Falls Police Chief Mark Dressen, this is the first major award the department has been presented with through the campaign.
Two of the local department’s officers, Tim Fischer and Dustin Vanderhagen, headed up the campaign.
The two officers took the campaign to the next level in the department and, with the help of their fellow officers, were able to provide a variety of education opportunities for the public.
“You have one of the finest police departments in the state to work with,” said Kollmann to the Redwood Falls City Council where the presentation was made.
Kollmann added it is through their efforts that lives are being saved. With the award, the department was able to acquire the latest in radar technology for one of its vehicles.
According to Vanderhagen, the new radar equipment will allow the officer in that vehicle to better determine those, even in the same lane, who are speeding.
In other words, the department is going to do even more in terms of enforcement.
Dressen said this is the first new radar equipment the department has received since 1988. Typically, it received used radar equipment from the state patrol. He added, however, that much of the equipment being used is on its last legs. Having the new radar is going to be a big bonus for the officers.
No, the intent of the department is not to go out looking for people who are speeding. Their intent is to keep the public safe regardless of what that means. If it means giving a ticket to someone who is breaking the law then so be it.
“It is impossible to tell exactly how many or whose lives are saved when we emphasize traffic enforcement,” said Fischer. “The result is a death or an injury that doesn’t happen. We just know it changes drivers’ behavior. In May, more people buckled up, and buckling up saves lives.”
The major cause of death among those aged two through 33 is traffic fatalities. Many of those, said Ryan, could have been prevented by people putting on their seat belt.